Want to Know Your Future?
Reinaldo Dos Santos is known as “The Prophet of America.” Among his actualized predictions include the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, the destruction of the Twin Towers and the election of Pope Benedict XVI.
Last Sunday, he was interviewed by Reporte Semanal (Weekly Report), a Peruvian television program, in which he made his predictions for Peru and the world:
- Keiko Fujimori would win the upcoming elections and become president. Keiko is the daughter of Alberto Fujimori, the ex-president of Peru who is recognized for conquering terrorism and stabilizing the country’s economy, but has also been charged for corruption and human rights violations.
- Peru will suffer a series of major natural disasters within the next eight years and the new president who will be elected on June 5th should make emergency preparedness a priority. Furthermore, Lima will be hit by an earthquake and it won’t be just any earthquake, but “THE earthquake.”
- Barack Obama will be reelected. Even though he has disappointed many Americans who believed in him, they still have hope.
- Canada is one of the most prepared countries for the critical consequences of global warming.
- Hugo Chavez won’t be reelected, but he may remain in power.
Reinaldo admits that he, as a flawed human being, can interpret his visions incorrectly and he believes that God ultimately has the power to make changes, but so far every major event he has predicted has come true.
Do you believe in modern-day prophets or are they scams? Do you believe that we can be our own prophets with enough research and an intuitive, big-picture understanding of the world? If you could really know your future, would you want to know? Why or why not?
Tags: earthquakes, keiko fujimori, know your future, natural disasters, peru prophet, prophecies, reinaldo dos santos, the prophet of america
Hajra
Hey Samantha,
I really don't believe them or maybe I don't want to believe. I am always for the element of surprise and hope. The future is for us to find out tomorrow and we have the power to change it through out actions. I am a person with a lot of optimism. Even when I am going through the crappiest of times, I believe tomorrow will be more beautiful. And if it isn't then cribbing over it won't change that, maybe standing up and working will!
Not that in any way I consider this man wrong, he has his own powers and maybe he is right but for me, lets keep the future just there, in the future! All we have is now, now is the time to act, to enjoy, to believe, to evolve and no one can take that away from us!
When I was in college, I did indulge in palmistry, the magic ball reading, even the gurus, one told me that I would die within a year – that didn't happen, that I would fail miserably in my Masters – sadly for him, I stood second; that I would be in a successful relationship – wrong again! So maybe I just tend not to believe in them!
Lovely post, looking what others have to say to this!
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Samantha Bangayan
I know what you mean, Hajra! Part of me wonders if I just don't want to believe and it's really hard to believe when there are so many false prophets out there. =) I, like you, also really appreciate the surprises of life and the hope in our own power to write our own destinies!
Your optimism sure is inspiring, Hajra! =) And so is your call for living wholly in the present! =) Your great achievements against all that the gurus said just goes to show that you have definitely made the best of every opportunity life has thrown at you! =) Keep on keeping on, friend! =) So glad we're in touch, so that I can continue to learn tons from you! =)
RAAckerman, PhD, EA
Hmm. I love the choice of "may". This kind of stuff is why a decision was made in my religion to rule that prophets (seers in conventional English) will no longer be recognized.
(Moreover, some of these proclamations are known as common sense and the results of polls.)
Some folks (mostly, those who detest him) tried to proclaim Obama to be an Oracle. Others have declaimed the dead pope (boy, are they EVER wrong). Still others believe that the last head of the Lubavitch sect was one (see above about the law).
A broken clock is right twice a day. If he were a prophet, he could predict the winning ticket on the lottery. Unless and until he does, he is no different than any other entertainer…
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Samantha Bangayan
"May" is powerful indeed, Roy! I also started thinking about how we could make these predictions ourselves if we had a thorough understanding of the situation.
In terms of being a "prophet" in the most powerful sense of the word, he may not be so. But I think he would say that he only claims to see images, so he may not have control over which images he sees and would therefore not be able to predict winning lottery tickets. Who knows. =P
Marco Silva
Hi Samantha!
Very powerful questions!
In my opinion we should be able to live a life where our conscious actions and decisions are the ones creating our reality (… I know! easy to say difficult to do… at least being fully aware).
So… no matter what others are saying or doing we should have the last word in deciding what to think, or how to act – I believe that we are our own prophets… And I try to always give the benefit of doubt to others as no one that I know is able to manage all variants in life's equation; I will not say “I don't believe”… I'd rather say “within my knowledge I have my doubts, show me the evidence and I will change my mind…”
I wouldn't like to know my future… I like the adventure of life where I decide where to go and what to explore… surprise me! 🙂
Great Post! Thank you Samantha
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Samantha Bangayan
I love how you bring up awareness, Marco! A lot of people underestimate how powerful true awareness can be — we can "create our reality" through it, as you say! =) I also lean toward the idea of the possibility that we can be our own prophets.
Loved learning tons more about you through your comment, Marco! I, too, am someone who embraces the unpredictable adventures and surprises of life! =)
Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Marco! =) So glad to be in touch!
Martha Giffen
I live an "inspired" life. By that, I mean that I actually hear and act on messages that I receive. I know. It sounds far-fetched but I'm serious. I believe we all hear that "still small voice" if we will only listen. As far as predicting the future? I'm not hip on that. I've not really seen any evidence that there is someone walking the earth who can actually with 100% accuracy predict it. And, would we really want to know? LOL
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Samantha Bangayan
YES! I think people call that "still small voice" many different things, but I refer to mine as my intuition. And I really believe in the idea of fully developing our intuition — even down to the minute details of how our body's muscles react to different situations — such that we're mostly/always able to choose the best decision for ourselves.
And great rhetoric question — "would we really want to know?" =) I continue to pose that question to myself! =P Thanks for your thoughts, Martha! =)
Deeone
I believe some receive insights into the future, but I don't think that it is ever a round circle or fully clear to them. I think that some pieces of the circle get left out along the way. It's almost like the preview of a movie, in a sense. With that being said, I don't think I would really want to know either. Where would be the excitement in that?!
For instance, if someone told me that I was going to win a million bucks, and then I won it; I don't think my excitement level would reach even remotely as close to than had I not know about it. Life is kinda like that, it's totally all about the element of surprise. We're suppose to experience all of those emotions that we may come in contact with in living. Taking that away, sort of leaves life kind of boring.
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Samantha Bangayan
Makes complete sense, Deeone! That's exactly what Reinaldo touched upon too — that he needs to *interpret* the images he sees.
And I love how you explain why you wouldn't want to know the future! =) It does ruin the spice of life and takes away from the excitement of the ups and downs — it's what life's all about to me too! =) Cheers to a non-boring life! =)
Diana Simon
Hi Samantha,
I really don't believe in modern day prophets and there was a prediction that there would be an earthquake here in Italy a few weeks ago and some people were afraid and stayed home.
I have to admit that if I could know my future I would be tempted but like many who have commented, I think knowing what will happen then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Also I like not knowing and the ability to have a sense of being the captain of my life.
Love your posts!
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Samantha Bangayan
Ooh! Makes sense! There are so many "false prophets" out there too, that it would be hard to distinguish real prophets if they even existed.
So true, Diana — that's exactly how I feel! There's a temptation, but would I really want to know? We sure are captains of our lives right now and let us remain so! =)
Vinny T
It's a fact that certain individuals have greater predictive powers than the average man. The FBI use such individuals regularly its day-to-day work. But They aren't infallible and I wouldn't base my life on what hey have to say.For my part,I'd use them for parlor room fun at a party and that's about it.
Yep, I do believe that modern day prophets are scams. The most recent one I know about predicted the world would end a few days ago and I'm still here!!! Yes, we can intelligently make our way through life and in this way much better understand our reality and in some way determine our future, but I could never know if I'd be destroyed by an earthquake or a tsunami. Too much in life is determined by pure chance.
Samantha Bangayan
Interesting insight, Vinny! I had no idea about the FBI recruiting people for their predictive powers although it makes complete sense to me. It's probably part of the special recruiting process of the CIA as well. Haha! They sure would make fun party guests. =)
I heard about that guy who predicted the world would end this past week — Reinaldo actually commented about him. He joked that the end of the world was going to be delayed. =P
I especially like how you talk about chance, Vinny! It sure does feel that way often and it's what makes life exciting and fun! =)
Penelope J.
I think that seeing the future does not make someone a prophet even though he may make prophecies. For me, "prophet" is a powerful word relating to a powerful being.
I believe that some people like Reinaldo may have the gift of the "sight" but they are overshadowed by the many scam artists out there. While I tend to be cynical about most, I do believe that some have been/can be powerful forces for both good and evil, and are revered or reviled to this day. There may be some prophets or great men/women who are/were able to access some power from the Universe and foresee events and happenings, but I see this as more like a talent they are born with. Indeed, there are too many "real" prophecies to overlook but for every one that's true, there are thousands that are not.
Also, having lived in Latin America and knowing some of its beliefs, I can believe that Reinaldo dos Santos is a seer though he is certainly not a prophet.
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Samantha Bangayan
So excited to see you here, Penelope! Thank you so much for stopping by! =)
I really like the distinction you made between "prophet" and "seer" or "prophecy-maker." I knew you'd get what I mean with your experience in Latin American research as well! =) In that sense, prophet would be tied to the likes of Jesus and maybe it's a title that often posthumously designated.
Ooh! That's exactly what I've been trying to explain to others too — it's hard to pull apart the real thing amongst all the fakes. We can only tell with time.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights, Penelope! =) Do you prefer Penny or Penelope, by the way? =)
Justin | Mazzastick
Hi Samantha,
I believe in predictions and prophets. We all have the ability to tune into higher awareness and receive the information. It's not any different than a radio picking up a frequency.
I will have to check out Reinaldo Dos Santos .
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Samantha Bangayan
Wow! Stellar analogy, Justin! =) Thanks so much for sharing your opinion here! =) Just imagine what our interactions would be like if we could all tune in to the universe's frequency!
Hector Avellaneda
Hey Samantha! That was an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
Personally, I dont believe in guys like Mr. Reinaldo. I dont want to insult the guy but I could have made the predictions he made, I think anyone else could too (with exception of the president of Peru as I am not familiar with the regions politics)
If you notice however, all of the predictions you mentioned he made were in regards to the Americas, a region of the world that he may be very familiar with.
In my opinion, a true prophet would hav insight into any major world event. Why has he not mentioned anything about unrest in the middle east or what he thinks may happen in other parts of the world.
I dont know much about the guy but I think its interesting his prophecies are concentrated in his own region. 🙂
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Samantha Bangayan
Loved your point, Hector! That's exactly what I thought when he made the prediction about Obama — I may have been able to make that prediction too. =P
A friend brought up the fact that he may be a "seer" rather than a "prophet" (which carries a more powerful connotation). In which case, he wouldn't be able to control what he sees and maybe he sees more about the Americas because he's from here. Who knows! =)
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Hector!! =) Love our growing friendship! =)
davelucas
I would be interested in knowing what if any predictions he has regarding world peace, particularly in the Middle East!
It's a "given" that Obama will be re-elected as there is NO viable standout attractive candidate who can run against him!
Samantha Bangayan
Ooh! That's exactly what Reinaldo said too, Dave — he talked about how there were no other competitive candidates! Which also made me think that I could have made the same prediction. =P
I'll keep you posted if I hear him say anything about the Middle East! I think he has focused on the Americas because his audience is here and the interview was done in Peru. =)
Dave, thank you so much for stopping by! =) Heading over to your blog right now!
mattoftheworld
Interesting you brought this up Samantha. My fiance was just talking to me about this the other day, and I wanted to look it up, but forgot the name. Funny that I came across it again from your blog.
The earthquake thing here in Peru, and specifically Lima is something always in the back of our minds. There are so often little tremors here, however, Peru is on the Nasca Plate and has some of the most frequent earthquakes in the world. Many Peruvians have been taking extra caution since Haiti, Chile, and now Japan worrying that "The One" is coming to Lima.
Regardless of Reinaldos abilities, he is bringing much needed attention to some important issues happening in this part of the world. If it makes people more aware, or take these issues more seriously, I think it's a good thing.
I don't think I would want to know my future, however I am a believer we control much of the way our life turns out and are the master of our own universe to a certain point. We just have to listen and be aware of all the signs around us. The more we ignore these signs, the more blind we become. The more aware we are, the easier we can navigate. (One of my favorite books is the Alchemist, which speaks directly to this point)
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Samantha Bangayan
Haha! I love how I posted this just in time, Matt! My partner watched the videos first and every few minutes he would tell me about a new prediction Reinaldo made or a new fact about him. =P Have you seen the Reporte Semanal interview? It's on YouTube.
I totally agree that I've heard a lot of conversation about earthquakes here, even before Reinaldo's interview. Being on the coast is the scariest and I really wonder about the vulnerability of the Andes. One never knew.
Wow, Matt! I really love your refreshing take on this — the fact that he's bringing attention to important discussion topics! For example, he talked about how governments need to work together in the world because a meteor may hit South America. Even if we ignore the meteor bit, it's still a really positive message!
"The Alchemist" is one of my favorite books as well and I love the points you bring up. I'm a huge believer in harnessing our awareness and I'm so glad you reminded me of this. =)
P.S. I just went to Lima to visit my aunt and uncle who are on a Gap adventure and saw your name on some of their postings at the hotel! What a coincidence!! =)
JohnJeremyVines
Agree with Dave. Obama's re-election is a sure thing. Weak opposition, no scandals (as yet, anyway), and a billion dollar war chest guarantee that.
Safe "predictions" such as that might help pad the accuracy rating a bit. So, too, will vaguely-worded or cryptic ones that can be interpreted to mean just about anything (such as the one about Canada). It also helps that people who want to believe in such things as psychic abilities are willing to suspend disbelief to the point of disregarding incorrect predictions or the fact that the true accuracy of man's collective attempts to see the future is such that correct predictions could be chalked up to coincidence.
I'm not too familiar with this gentleman. In fact, this article is the first I've heard of him but I'd be very surprised if he were truly exceptional in this regard.
All this said, I think it would be great to know the future if I could but I'm a realist and, therefore, a skeptic.
Very good, thought-provoking piece nonetheless 🙂
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Samantha Bangayan
Ooh! Interesting how you put it, John: "safe predictions." It's why I was thinking about how we could potentially be so-called "prophets" ourselves if we dedicated our lives to researching patterns and trends. =)
Your points are especially true here in the Central Andes where tradition and tales prevail! These are exactly the people who are willing to ignore incorrect predictions and exaggerate the significance of coincidences — this is where many of the ghost stories come from, I believe. =)
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this, John! =) So glad to be in touch!! =)
Stella Anokam
Interesting post, Samantha, the one that piques my interest is the 're-election of Obama'.
Some people are naturally gifted like this guy but again they may not always interpret correctly their visions and he admits that.
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Samantha Bangayan
Hehe! =) Some have been saying that Obama's re-election is already in the bag even without having known Reinaldo's prediction! =)
I know what you mean — I really respected Reinaldo's humility! In a way, it makes me believe him more than the next arrogant guy! =P
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Stella! =)
Live Happy
Hi,
I found your blog from another blog and liked how you give blog love back! LOL
I'm gonna add your site to my RSS feed and visit often.
here is my blog if you don't mind checking it out and giving me feed back.
Thanks!
LUKE
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Samantha Bangayan
Luke, thank you so much for stopping by and for your kind words! I'd love to hear what you think about Reinaldo's prophecies as well. =)
Heading over to your blog right now! =) Hope you've had an excellent week! =)
Live Happy
OPPS!
Looks like i left the link to my blog: http://livehappyandsuccessful.com/
Thanks!
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Carolyn Nicander Mohr
Fascinating post, Samantha. It will be interesting to learn which predictions will come true. Time will tell..
Like Hajra, I went to a palm reader once, right before I got married. She said that I would have three children, including twins, that my fiance and I would get married and stay married for the rest of our lives, that we would have no major tragedies in our lives, that we would never be very wealthy but would not have to worry about money.
I liked all of her predictions so much that I haven't gone to anyone again and won't. So far, all of her predictions have come true. One time I thought we were close to a major tragedy, one of my children almost died at birth. We didn't know for weeks whether she would survive. One of the only things I had to hold on to was that prediction so that gave me comfort when nothing else would.
I don't play the lottery. Imagine how upset I would be if I won a big jackpot and realized that the palm reader's predictions weren't true! 😉
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Samantha Bangayan
WOW! I am thoroughly surprised by your story. You're the first person I've met to have had a positive personal experience with predictions! How amazing that you even had twins. Did you already have a history of twins in your family?
I find it so intriguing that you have made conscious changes in your life decisions because of these predictions (e.g., not going to other palm readers and not playing the lottery) and I love how the predictions gave and give you comfort. =) You've got me really curious about my own future, Carolyn!
Thank you *so* much for sharing your story!! =)
Adrienne
Okay without sharing all my deepest thoughts on this subject, I do believe that some people do have visions and can see into the future. But I also agree that they see them as they believe them to be today, right now. That doesn't necessarily mean they will happen that way because any one thing can change the course of an event.
With that being said, I just hope he's very wrong with some of his predictions and I'll just leave it at that. See, that was safely answered.
Thanks Samantha, now that was interesting. For Peru's sake, I definitely hope the predictions of mother nature having her way with you all are so very wrong. I'll pray for you my dear to remain safe no matter what happens.
Adrienne 🙂
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Samantha Bangayan
That's a new tidbit of information for me, Adrienne — makes sense how seers see things as they are believed today. I think Reinaldo touched a little bit on this in his interview as well and I think it's why he mentions that God can still change destiny or as you say, "anything can change the course of an event."
Your compassion really shines through your comment, Adrienne! You're the first to express your hope for his predictions to be incorrect. Nevertheless, all the natural disasters lately have really put these predictions in the back of everyone's minds here. Thank you for your hope! =)
Sweepy Jean
Very interesting, Samantha. I think people have abilities and I don’t rule out the unexplained as to how it happens. But for me “prophesy” is a word that should not be used loosely. It could very well be that some people are keen observers who are able to read scientific and societal trends.
Samantha Bangayan
Very good point, Adriene! "Prophecy" is a powerful word, indeed. I like your suggestion alternative — "keen observers." I thought about this as I heard about how Reinaldo needs to do a lot of research to interpret his observations — maybe we can all achieve a level of this. =)
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, friend! =)
Dontarrious
I'm impressed! You've managed the almost imopisbsle.
Melanie Kissell
Intriguing topic, Sam – no question about it!
I read my horoscope once in a while because I'm fascinated with astrology. BUT … I always read it a day late. Sound strange? Maybe so. But I don't like to set myself up for unrealistic expectations (good, bad, or indifferent). So I just read my horoscope for fun and sometimes what was predicted for the previous day is actually accurate. 🙂
As far as wanting to know what the future holds …
I'll pass. As interesting as it might be, I believe we already live with enough worries, sorrow, heartaches, and disappointments. That's how life is. You've got your good days, your bad days, and your so-so days. And since none of us know when God is going to call for us (when our number is up!), what value would knowing the future hold?
You always give your readers a lot to think about. Stop it! My brain muscle is hurting. 🙂 LOL!
Melanie
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Samantha Bangayan
What a cool strategy, Melanie! =) When I read horoscopes, whether it's a day late or not, I usually forget about them. Maybe having a bad memory can be good for me sometimes. =)
There are definitely two sides to take when it comes to what the future holds. A lot of people have mentioned that we lose the excitement of life, but we've forgotten that knowing the future can also increase the emotional pain and distress. You're right — what value is there to that?! =P
Thanks so much for having me exercise my brain muscle too, Melanie! =) Have a good rest, so yours is ready for the next one. Just kidding! =)
“Hurry, They Haven’t Found Me Yet.” | What Little Things?
[…] What Little Things? Reflecting on the little things in life in Huancayo, Peru. Skip to content HomeAbout the BlogAbout the AuthorContactBlogroll ← Want to Know Your Future? […]
Writing 4 Effect
I always find this topic interesting. I have to say that I do believe there are authentic modern-day prophets — not to be confused with modern-day psychics or mediums. I also believe that there are varying levels of prophetic skills or gifting that don't necessarily make a person a prophet. I believe modern-day prophets are fallible, which is one factor that creates skepticism in some observers. If someone perceived as a prophet makes a wrong prediction — even if they've made 99 previously accurate predictions — the one wrong prediction may result in the label of "false prophet." I am always very cautious with those who label themselves, or are labeled as, "prophets."
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Samantha Bangayan
Hmm! Good points, Sherry! This doesn't have to be a question of whether he is or isn't a prophet when there could be different levels of ability. Reinaldo himself admits that he can interpret his visualizations incorrectly — unfortunately, as you saw, a lot of people could lose faith in him or the entire idea of prophecies if he makes one mistake. We have to remember that they're humans too and Reinaldo often reminds his followers of this!
I'm also one to be a slight skeptic, so we'll just have to see what comes out of his predictions! =)
Hector Avellaneda
Hey Sam! My pleasure! I love being a part of the conversation here on What Little Things!?
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Samantha Bangayan
You're the best, Hector! =)
Nyxzie
I believe that there are people with those gifts. I also believe that majority of those who claim to have them, are scammers. I think a lot of predictions are like the "watch out for the vase" scene in the Matrix . . . . Would he have knocked it over if she didn't say anything? (I think I'm remembering that scene correctly – It's been a while!)
I don't want to know my future. If I knew what was coming tomorrow, it would take all of the excitement out of today 🙂
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Samantha Bangayan
Ooh! Great insight, Dayle! My brother brought this up the other day. He asked something like: "Am I am the way I am because I read about psychology theories or because I really am that way?" I guess that's why they say that ignorance is bliss. =P
Before the World Ends: The Earthquake in Peru - What Little Things
[…] This is about the only slightly cool acrobatic-like move I've achieved in the last few months, but I know I can do more if I can sideswipe the fear.I wonder if this is just the beginning and if Reinaldo Dos Santos, “The Prophet of America,” was right when he predicted that Peru would be subject to major natural disasters within the next eight years. […]